Versailles

We spent our last day in the Palace of Versailles, which is huge, the shear size of the palace grounds impressed and we probably could have spent several days here just wandering around the huge landscapes that they have created,  we also really liked the village created for Marie Antoinette to play in which was styled on a French village at the time shown in the photos with the old farm style buildings.  She took her children there to play with the animals, it was nicer than the palace in many ways. Quaint, humble, homely with lots of animals.

 

Aside from the palace and the farm we were taken to Marie Antoinette's smaller residence where she would go for some privacy. All the kings and all the queens were watched constantly no matter what they were doing; sleeping, bathing, dressing, toileting was all watched by members of their staff and often the public as well. The queens had an audience of dozens when they gave birth, partly so it could be seen that the baby who was in the royal line was actually hers and not swapped for another.

 

They all had little rooms they could sneak off into to have a break from constant eyes but even then they were not always alone. Who said being a queen would be fun! No wonder none of them smiled for photos.

 

We're off for our last dinner in Europe then back here to pack. 

 

see you all sometime soon.

 

 

 

 

 

Paris 2

One of the best sights of the trip was the Eiffel Tower lit up at night, magnifique.

 

Today we had a tour of the Eiffel Tower and I (John) rode the elevator all the way to the top, what a great sight from up there. A business block has been built in the city and angered so many people because it's ruined the skyline that now the height of all new buildings is limited to 7 stories which preserves the character of the city.

Lex panicked at the second level so went down and waited on the ground for me...eating icecream and checking out the souvenir shops.

 Then onto a flea market where we both found things of interest, and then on to the Arc de Triumph and the Champ Elysée, then rested our poor tired feet for a short while before going for dinner and back to see the Eiffel Tower lit up at night.  That really was beautiful and lovely to see so many families and young people in he park enjoying the view.

 

Just like the London tube, getting around is very easy once you master the metro - though Lex is still totally confused and has made me vow never to leave her :-)

 

 

 

Paris

Well we made it to Paris, using the Tube, the Eurostar and then the Metro was quite easy, and John's phone GPS app gave us the directions to the Airbnb....to be distinguished from real B&Bs.

 

We then went for a walk to the Louvre, catching our first glimpse of the Seine River and the Eiffel Tower, before it bucketed down with rain.

 

Sheltering under Cafe's umbrellas without purchasing anything wasn't appreciated :-) so we made our way to the Metro - underground railway - and came back to the room, buying a couple of Paris delicacies on the way. :)

Lex took a photo of hers then accidentally dropped it on the floor. 'Oh well', she said, 'that's a few calories I don't have to work off'. It was one of the ones on the left with the berry and strawberry pieces on it.

 

Off out to get some dinner now that it's stopped raining.

 

 

Last day in Dagenham

A slower but good day today. We went back to the house where John was born and where he and his brothers grew up and this time the owner was home. Amazingly, she is the one who bought the house 47 years ago and remembers the Oldland family. She was so pleased we'd knocked on the door and was very welcoming and tolerant of us asking to take photos :-)

 

We then went  to see Johns primary school, Hunters Hall, then to the Heathway where he went to the cinema on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons & films, the cinema is now a supermarket though.

 

We were keen to see the grave sites of his grandparents so after couple of bus rides, much fruitless searching through the cemetery and then a phone call to the Cemeteries Board we finally found the very dilapidated graves of his paternal and maternal grandparents. It was a really nice connection with the history of his family.

 

Leaving there we bus-ed and walked to a beautiful lake "Elm Park" where 30 white swans, loads of geese, and several other types of birds were; a lake where John and his brothers sailed a large model yacht which was made for one of his uncles and restored by Martin some years ago.

 

The old garden shed in the photos is where John's dad used to have his 'barber's shop' on the left and the boys kept their bikes on the right. Also photos of two men painting a roof - looked more like they were doing penance! Looked like hard work doing it that way, and a red sunflower!

 

We're back in the room now chilling before dinner with his cousin, Heather. Early start tomorrow to get the Eurostar to Paris.

 

Dagenham

It has turned on a typical English wet weather day today, drizzly and cold but we did get to Romford markets and Eastbrook Senior High and then a long walk to 'the Chase' which was a favourite fishing spot for John and brother Trevor when they were boys.

We knocked on the door of the house he use to live in but no response..will go back later and try again, and have seen the houses where his mum, aunt, uncle and cousins, and grandparents lived in the next street. Lots of memories for him in the paper shop where he picked up the newspapers early in the mornings to deliver before school, the lolly shop, and Pondfield park where they use to play ....

 

I had to smile yesterday when his cousin asked 'so what number in Suffolk was ya?' and he replied 'Fir-een'.

'Fir-een?'    'Yeh, Fir-een'.

 Didn't take long to pick up the lingo :-)

 

We got soaked walking around and the umbrella John bought blew itself inside out so we have come back to the BedNoBreakfast and are hibernating in the room with hot drinks, TV and a couple of good books until we venture out again. We have full access to tea, coffee and milk, and we bought nice crusty bread for breakfast so have enjoyed that with lots of butter and spreads :-)

Dagenham

Well, after a bit of an uncertain start to the day we have finally arrived at Dagenham. We could not get into our accommodation until 5pm, so spent the afternoon at my cousin, Heather's, house. She fed and coffee-d us all afternoon which as nice. Caught up on a little family history.

 

The accommodation is luxurious compared with the last 2 nights where we slept in what I can only describe as a shoebox in the basement with a shower. This airb&b loft apartment has 1 double and 2 single beds and enough room to swing a cat, and we have the kitchen, dining and lounge rooms available downstairs.

we have discovered along the way that BnB doesn't necessarily stand for Bed and Breakfast, as in this case it stands for Bed No Breakfast. We walked to the shop for "Bread and Spread" and can make our own using their facilities. It's not like going without would kill us after all we've eaten this past 3 weeks!!

 

Lex was so thrilled to see and photograph a squirrel today !!!

 

PS from Lex - you can't tell me that squirrel's not cute!!!

London

Wow London has changed  so much that apart from the major tourist attractions I wouldn't have recognised anything. Using the underground we visited Buckingham Palace, Westminster Cathedral & Abbey, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, The London Eye, Trafalgar Square , Piccadilly Circus, The Tower of London and finally Tower Bridge.  Some of these places brought back memories of visiting them when I was much younger, and visiting Tower Bridge was special because my mum told stories of when she was a young girl and used to play on the bridge play with her friend whose friends dad operated the bridge.

We were able to see the bridge go up and down twice while we were there which was great considering if only goes up and down on an average of three times a day.

 

Lex braved up and said she would go on the London Eye with me if I wanted to go, so I agreed and we got the tickets. All was ok until we got near the top and she didn't feel quite as brave as she thought she was. I doubt she'll ever go on it again :-) 

 

I wanted to do a tour of Tower bridge which included going up the towers and walking across the top of bridge, part of which is a glass floor. Lex stayed on the ground, still a bit insecure after the Eye ride but I really enjoyed it.

 

We are both tired and sore and doubt our legs and feet will ever forgive us for what we are doing to them.

Essex tomorrow to see my old stomping ground.